Here’s the dirt on the mud east of Wornall Road

Joyce Lattimer takes dogs for walks on the Trolley Track Trail in Waldo. But construction near the trail disrupted her route from Wornall Road. Now the area is muddy or dusty — when it’s not frozen. Lattimer wants her shortcut back the way it was.

Joyce Lattimer is a very good friend to dogs, often taking them from a nearby rescue group for walks on the Trolley Track Trail in Waldo.

But construction near the trail, where 78th Terrace dead-ends east of Wornall Road, disrupted her route from Wornall.

A lot of dirt and gravel was moved, and for a while big piles of dirt blocked her way. Now the area is either muddy or dusty — when it’s not frozen.

Lattimer wants her shortcut back the way it was.

“It’s always been a wonderful place to walk rescued dogs, especially those that are scared, because once we get off Wornall there’s not much traffic to scare them.”

The answer

The Watchdog noticed a “no trespassing” sign put up by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, which owns the trail, and went to the transit agency first.

ATA officials thought a utility company was doing the work and had a complaint of their own: Workers were moving rocks placed alongside the trail, along with the sign, to keep vehicles off the path.

It became a cycle: Someone would move the rocks, and the ATA would put them back.

Later the Dog learned that the upheaval was due to construction at the new Kansas City Bier Co.

Steve Holle, a partner in the business, said a construction company did the digging to find a manhole buried by silt. That was necessary to get water service to the building.

He suspects sediment got there because the rocks alongside the trail blocked drainage. He said the mud was a nuisance to the company too — and one it didn’t create.

“We have spent a lot of money fixing up and painting a dilapidated building, including clearing out overgrown trees and weeds,” he said by email. “I assure you we will make the area around our building presentable. Things will look better when spring arrives.”

Holle also said he would make sure the ATA’s rocks are put back.

“Tell your reader we are sorry for blocking her access. I hope she and her dog visit the beer garden.”